European Tour chief makes own inappropriate remark

May 23, 2013
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Sergio Garcia of Spain emerges from a meeting in the rules office with George O'Grady, Chief Executive of the European Tour (L) and Tim Finchem, PGA Tour Commissioner (R) during the Pro-Am round prior to the BMW PGA Championship on the West Course at Wentworth on May 22, 2013 in Virginia Water, England. / Richard Heathcote, Getty Images

by USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY

by USA TODAY Sports, USA TODAY

European PGA Tour chief executive George O'Grady was attempting to defend Sergio Garcia in an interview Thursday with Sky Sports.

Now O'Grady might need someone to defend him.

O'Grady suggested in the interview that many of Garcia's friends are "colored athletes."

On Monday, Garcia had created a stir at the European Tour awards dinner by joking that he would serve fried chicken to Tiger Woods at the U.S. Open.

Garcia apologized. Woods called the comments hurtful, accepted the apology and asked to move on.

But, it appears we can't move on just yet.

O'Grady, in discussing the incident in the interview with Sky Sports, said: "We know the connotation in the United States. We accept all races on the European Tour; we take it very strongly. Most of Sergio's friends are colored athletes in the United States, and he is absolutely abject in his apology and we accepted it.

"All races play on the European Tour, and that's how we want to keep it. He is abject in his apology and we are moving on."

O'Grady, as Garcia did, apologized soon thereafter.

"I deeply regret using an inappropriate word in a live interview for Sky Sports for which I unreservedly apologize," O'Grady said.